Mutalisk
The mutalisk is an airborne zerg breed. Overview Mutalisks are evolved from the mantis screamer from the desolate Dinares Sector. The mutalisk has retained its predecessor's ability to travel through both air and space, although what other forms of propulsion it may have aside from its wings is unknown.Mutalisk. StarCraft Compendium. Accessed on 2008-01-032008-03-10. Zerg. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2008-03-10. The mutalisk spawns small, voracious creatures called "glaive wurms", or "glave wurms", and projects these creatures to attack. Glaive wurms fly between multiple targets as they degrade explosively.Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998. A mutalisk's fangs are also deadly and given that mutalisk blood is acidic, able to melt through even CMC armor, such close quarters are hardly favorable to a mutalisk's intended victim(s). This being said, the mutalisk is not without its vulnerabilities. Its own acidic blood is just as deadly to itself as it is to its foes and its wings are exceptionally fragile, able to be shredded even by glass.Hickman, Tracy (May 21, 2002). StarCraft: Speed of Darkness. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-671-04150-9. In battle, mutalisks form the primary flying forces of the zerg, making hit-and-run attacks against vulnerable installations and wheeling across the skies in prodigious numbers above zerg nests or land-based forces. Many attempted engagements with the zerg have collapsed due to the rapid arrival of large numbers of mutalisks before any meaningful air defense could be mustered. Under these circumstances the total loss of the forces involved is virtually guaranteed. Conversely powerful air defenses have succeeded in keeping mutalisks at a distance, for the creatures are limited in vitality. However, they remain agile and dangerous opponents. In large numbers or against weak defenses, mutalisks will always be a deadly threat.StarCraft II-Mutalisk. Accessed on 2008-03-10 The mutalisk is not an especially intelligent creature and exercises little initiative, preferring to drift lazily through the air. Once engaged however, it demonstrates a blind bloodlust that makes it dangerous to all those around it, including itself.Bill Slavicsek, David Eckelberry, Shawn F. Carnes. Alternity: StarCraft Edition. Wizards of the Coast, March 1, 2000. ISBN 0-7869-1618-4. In addition, mutalisks are able to trace terran transmissions to their source. Game Unit StarCraft The mutalisk's attack strikes three targets in succession, dealing 9 damage to the first, 3 to the second, and 1 to the last. Unlike many other air units, the mutalisk is small, making it more resistant to explosive damage, a common damage type found on anti-air units like dragoons and goliaths. The mutalisk deals normal damage and is only affected by the armor of the target. Large groups of mutalisks tend to clump together making them ideal targets against attacks with area of effect or splash damage. Abilities Upgrades Pre-Release Originally the mutalisk was armed with an "acid spray" attack rather than glaive wurms. References to the acid spray may be found in the StarCraft manual. It can also be seen in The Death of the Overmind, the final cinematic for StarCraft Episode III where mutalisks attack the Gantrithor.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Cinematic: The Death of the Overmind (in English). 1998. Notes The unit portrait of the mutalisk is not the face of the mutalisk, but rather the tail, which fires the glaive wurm. StarCraft: Ghost mutalisk]] The mutalisk cannot regenerate like most other zerg units; instead, it can "abduct" landbound terran units, draining their life (which restores the mutalisk's health). The mutalisk's attack is a powerful bioplasma attack that does splash damage; the attack becomes more powerful if "charged up".Source: BlizzCon 2005 StarCraft: Ghost information. Zerg units. Artist: Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2007-09-08. The mutalisk is the most expensive zerg unit in the Invasion Mode, costing five points.Park, Andrew. 2005-10-28. Starcraft: Ghost Updated Multiplayer Hands-On - Zerg Rush! Gamespot. Accessed 2008-11-09. StarCraft II The mutalisk made an appearance in the WWI gameplay demonstration2007-05-19. Gameplay Trailer. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2007-08-12. and has been confirmed as a playable unit. Game Unit In StarCraft II, its attack will still be able to strike multiple targets,Karune. 2007-08-31. StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 11. StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2007-08-31. bouncing to strike up to two additional targets as before.Burnes, Andrew. 2008-03-10. StarCraft 2 - Zerg Attack: New Screenshots, Unit Images & Unit Info! IGN.com Accessed 2008-03-10. The attack automatically bounces towards the next closest enemy.Karune. 2009-02-18. StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 49. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2009-02-18. The mutalisk will be able to stack quite wellKarune. 2008-08-18. StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 43. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-08-18. but it will be difficult for them to remain clumped.There has not been extensive testing of this yet, but in terms of Mutalisks, players will be able to stack, but it will be much harder to keep them clumped up. As more info surfaces about this, I will keep you informed. Karune. 2008-08-28. Karune About stacking!! Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-08-28. Mutalisks will spread out when they move or attack.Dustin Browder, Lipton, Karune. 2009-04-22. The Official STARFEEDER Starcraft 2 Q&A. Starfeeder. Accessed 2009-04-22. Mutalisk will be able to attack on the move as in StarCraft I.Karune. 2008-12-17. StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 47. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-12-17.Also, Mutalisks at first in StarCraft II while slowed down a bit before they attacked, but the code has been fixed to allow it to attack on the move like the original StarCraft. Karune. 2008-08-28. Karune About stacking!! Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-08-28. Abilities Upgrades Strategies The mutalisk is countered by marines (especially equipped with combat shields and StimPacks), the Thor, and the battlecruiser's Missile Barrage. The ghost's high damage against lightly-armored units also makes it effective against mutalisks.Thors and Marines (with stimpack and the additional hp upgrade) are quite effective against mass Mutalisks. Additionally as mentioned already in this thread, BCs are also very effective, especially with its new missile barrage ability (but of course this is at a later tech). There is one other counter, which is not mentioned in this thread, which is the Ghost! The Ghost is awesome at taking out Mutalisks as well, since they get a bonus to light armor, and have a very long range. Add that to snipe, cloak, or a bunker and it is quite a formidable counter as well. Karune. 2008-11-05. Karune, how is Terran air vs Zerg air? Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-11-05. Special Mutalisk Strains *Cardis the Destroyer *Evolved Mutalisk *Kukulza *Zergrinch Drake Images Image:Mutalisk SC1 Head1.png|The mutalisk's profile in StarCraft I Image:Mutalisk SC-G Cncpt2.jpg|StarCraft: Ghost mutalisk concept art Image:Mutalisk SC-G Rend1.jpg|StarCraft: Ghost mutalisk artwork Image:Mutalisk SC2 Head1.jpg|StarCraft II mutalisk portrait Image:Mutalisk SC2 Game1.jpg|A flock of mutalisks in StarCraft II References Category: StarCraft: Ghost Zerg units